She Was Special
by thelittleturtleduck
Summary: She had been young and rebellious, a bit naive and hard headed, but that was all gone now. She was a young woman capable of making her own decisions and it pained her to see the man she loved more than anything, not receive the love he deserved. Tenzin was a man with a duty to his people, but also a wanting within his heart. They were always meant to belong to each other.


A/n: So, I was going to write two chapters of "Proud" today, and then finish it tonight. But it's Pemzin week and since they are my OTP for TLOK I just had to write something for it. This is the longest one shot I have ever written and it has taken me I think about 5 hours to complete. Please, leave a review. I wanted to write a few more scenarios, but I'll write them separately at some point. I feel bad for Pema because everyone hates on her, but I don't think there's really any fault in confessing your love for someone when you believe it is right. Anyway she said she was shy, but I also could see Pema being a bit rebellious so here's my take on Pemzin's story.

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Legend of Korra".

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Violent tremors shook her body as she curled herself against the damp cardboard of the box. The rain fell steadily outside, the pitter patter hitting the roof of her makeshift home and echoing in the confines of her shelter. The rain soaked the floor of the box where the flaps dangled open, the wind pushing against them and pushing the water inside.

She whimpered quietly as another flash of lighting lit the streets of Republic City, the late night traffic nonexisent on a night like tonight. She could hear people's fast footsteps as they ran for cover in the rain, probably on their way to their warm home where they would be dry for the rest of the night. They all probably had a change of clothes as well. But for Pema, this box and the clothes on her back was all that she had

It was times like these that caused the fiercly independent 8 year old girl to crave for her parent's company. They had died barely a year before in a house fire, leaving the young girl to fend for herself in the world with absolutely no relatives or guardians and no money.

She had to look through trash cans in order to find a good meal, evident because you could see the spaces between her ribs even through the fabric of her little green coat. You could see how scrawny her arms were even when they were covered with the sleeves, her skin graced with shallow cuts from sticking her hands down in the metal cans.

Her legs though were the worst of all. She had bruises peppering the skin up and down, most of them the result of running away from the older street rats. She kept them covered with her long brown pants, not needing the sympathy of the people on the streets.  
She could take care of herself.

Her shoes were ratty and damp from her run through the rain earlier. She felt the cool air of autumn wash in through the box and she trembled again, knowing that if she weren't able to keep herself warm and dry, she would become sick.

In the dark front of the alley, the box was easily accessible from the streets. A car passed then, whizzing by on their way home, and sloshed water completely over the box. A puddle began to form on the bottom of the shelter, and Pema began to cry for she had no where else to go.

So she crawled through the flaps of the box and stood tall, straightening the fabric of her sweater as the rain soaked the material. Her hair clung to her face now, emerald eyes searching the quiet streets of Republic City for some place to take cover. She stopped crying and put on a brave face. She would find some where to go.

She ran. Down the sidewalk of 34th Street, water splashing as her feet made contact with the cool concrete. She ignored the urge to shudder, knowing that it would only slow her down, and she needed to get warm. All the stores lining the road were closed for the night, the thunder rumbling as if it was taunting her as she didn't even pause for a glance at the signs in the windows.

Her thin legs and determination took her to the heart of Republic City.

City Hall stood proud and tall as a beacon of hope and balance. The lights were off in the building, so without hesitation the young orphan made her way up the steps, taking refuge on the cool tile by a pillar attached to the roof.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she brought her trembling legs up to where she could wrap her shaking arms around them, head bowed and body craving warmth.

That's when she heard it.

Two men were conversing as they walked through the doors of the building, one older man with arrow tattoos and a greying beard chuckled deeply as the younger man with matching tattoos and a dark beard beside him rolled his blue eyes at something the older one said.

They were both airbenders. One must be the Avatar.

Pema was a brave, little thing, but even she knew of fear. Her limbs trembled now, not from the cold, but from her situation. Children were not suppose to be here. This was a restricted area unless an open meeting was being held.

"Hello."

The orphan looked up at the sound of greeting, her heart thumping madly as she realized Avatar Aang was looking directly at her, his warm grey eyes focusing in on her emerald ones.

It took a moment for the child to find her voice, but when she did, it was soft and small. She sounded weak. "Hello."

The Avatar walked over to the young girl, his robes of autumn colors swishing softly as he crouched down in front of her. The other man, presumably his son considering the tattoos, stood curiously behind him.

"Are you lost?"

Pema coughed suddenly, the cold catching up to her as her body continued to shake, "I don't have anything to be lost from."

"What about your parents?"

The girl's light eyes suddenly darkened, her face falling further as she looked down at the cool marble flooring where water was pooling from her dripping clothes, "Their dead."

The Avatar's brows pulled together in concern, "Who is your guardian than?"

Pema shrugged her shoulders at the question, her mind scolding her for being so nonchalant with the most powerful man in the world, "I don't have a guardian."

"Do you have some place to stay?"

She released her trembling legs as she instead hugged her arms to her chest, trying desperately to keep warm as another gust of air whistled through the pillars of City Hall, "I had my box, but it got wet in the rain. I had to take cover somewhere else."

The man behind the Avatar looked at her with the same sad eyes as his father, sharing a look with the man crouched in front of her form. He spoke with a soft tone that seemed to wrap around her like a security blanket, "Do you have a name?"

"It's Pema, sir."

The young man nodded slowly, mentally remembering the name as his father stood from his crouched position, his joints quietly protesting. "Pema," The Avatar's warm voice was captivating, and the young orphan found herself hanging on to every word, "I'm going to propose to you two options, alright?"

The child in question nodded her head slowly, fearful of what he was going to say next.

"One, you either allow my son and I escort you to the orphanage for a child does not belong on these streets. It's far too dangerous," He eyed the scratches gracing her pale features before giving her the next option, "Or you could come back to Air Temple Island with us and become an Air Acolyte. You would get warm robes, a warm home, and warm meals."

Aang couldn't tell you what it was about the child that he found so captivating, but every fiber of his being hoped that she would take up his second offer. He could tell by the way Tenzin was looking between the two of them that he felt the strange connection as well. She was special.

Pema, completely unaware of the shared looks between father and son, sat contemplating for a moment. It would be nice to have some place to stay, to never have to hide in a box, to never have to search through trash cans just for a decent meal, and to never have to hide between the whistling pillars of City Hall again. She definately did not want to be taken to an orphanage though.

"I think I would like the second one."

The Avatar gave her a genuine smile, "Good. You will make a fine addition as an Acolyte. There are a few your age as well."

The child gave him a careful nod before she pushed herself up on to her feet, her hands tugging nervously at her hair as her body continued to shake from the cold wind. Without a moment of hesitation, Tenzin unwrapped one of his top robes and offered it to the shivering girl. She timidly reached for it, before wrapping the warm autumn colored material around her frail shoulders.

The tall man looked down at her gently, his father placing a warm hand on her shoulder. Suddenly, Pema realized from this moment forward, she wouldn't be an orphan anymore. These kind strangers, though still strangers, were going to become her only family now along with the other occupants of Air Temple Island.

"Tenzin," The thirteen year old whined childishly, sitting with her legs crossed and hands on her knees. The man in question opened one eye as he meditated across from her, "I think I'm doing it wrong."

Her Sifu released a long sigh, "Pema, I have been telling you for years now that there is no wrong or right way to meditate. All you have to do is close your eyes and clear your mind."

The girl's brows furrowed deeply as a gentle breeze ruffled her brown hair pulled back into a bun daintly on her head. The years had changed that once rough looking orphan into a budding young woman. The warm robes she wore now were so different from the thin clothes she had to wear all those years ago.

She enjoyed living on the Island. They gave her good food and a bunk and nice clothing, but she absolutely despised mediation. All the other Acolytes had already finished their meditation, sighing lightly as they stood and walked back to continue their chores. She had kitchen duty later so she needed to get this over with.

Pema had trouble meditating though because every time she tried to clear her mind, it seemed like her dark past was what began to appear in her head. She would see her blazing home from up the hill and feel her weak legs begin to run as fast as they ever had. She could see her parent's faces looking at her with such love and then being ripped away by tragedy. She could see the faces of the boy's on the street that used to bully her and pull her hair and take the food that she found. She could remember the feeling of loneliness. That's what meditation was to her,  
loneliness.

The early morning sun washed a wave of warmth over her body as the rolling bay produced a salty breeze, but nothing could hide the steady stream of tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

"Pema?"

The young girl opened her eyes and met those of her serious Sifu. His usually esteemed demeanor was now one of concern.

"Why are you crying?"

Pema desperately whiped at the offensive damp marks lining her cheeks, "I'm not."

"Pema," He said her name with exasperation, a deeply rooted annoyance with the defiant budding teenager causing him to roll his eyes.

"I just don't like meditation. I have chores I have to do," She glanced down at the wet marks on her red sleeves, "I can't do this."

Tenzin shook his head, eyes watching the young girl carefully as he saw an ancient sadness appear in her usually bright eyes, "I don't think you can't do it, I just think you don't want to."

"What's the difference?" She huffed in frustration, crossing her arms across her chest, mouth set in an adorable pout.

"Pema, when you close your eyes, what do you see?"

The teenage girl shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably, knowing that she was probably going to give him the wrong answer, "The backs of my eyelids."

Tenzin put a hand to his head, releasing a long sigh, "I mean on a mentality basis."

Pema glanced off to the side where the breeze gently toyed with the grass surrounding the wood structure of the meditation pavillion, "I see my past," Once she started to confess, she couldn't stop the words flowing from her mouth, "And I see my parents and the house fire and the boys who used to taunt me in the streets. I remember that feeling of absolute starvation and the chill of the wind as it blew through the box I used to sleep in. I remember that feeling of walking through the streets in a crowd of people, yet being so alone. The dark reminds me of the loneliness that I didn't know I wanted to escape from so long ago. But once I got here, I realized how much I had missed that feeling of family. You all became my family."

The airbender listened to the young girl's tearful confession, waiting for an oppurtune moment to intervene.

After a few moments more of babbling senselessly about her time on the streets, the rebellious teenager finally broke.

"I just don't want to feel that way anymore."

Tenzin was shocked as the slender girl fell forward, gripping him in a tight hug as her face burrowed into the shoulder of his robes. Her Sifu laid an unsure hand on her back, patting it awkwardly as he searched for the words to comfort the usually collected teen.

"Pema," He began gently as her tears continued to soak his robes, his eyes finding his father's as the older man sat on the front porch of their home, his face contorted in concern, "You have no reason to feel lonely. A part of clearing your mind is also allowing yourself the satisfaction of letting things go. Our past is in the past, but in order to continue on to your future, you must let go of the things that effected you in the past. The only way you will ever be able to be completely at peace with yourself, is to make peace with yourself."

They sat there for a few minutes more, the shuddering of the young girl calming as she took into consideration what he had just had. Finally, she looked up at him with those light green eyes of her's, a small smile on her face. "I guess I could try that."

"I don't want you just to try it, I want you to do it."

Pema released herself from his hug, sitting back in the mediatative position, "Sh, I'm trying to meditate," Her face held such a look of determination, that the man had to laugh in shock that he had actually gotten through to the hard headed child.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

When Pema was 16 years old, she fell head over heels in love. Most people expected it to be with one of the more rebellious Air Acolyte boys who gave her goo goo eyes as she walked down the halls, but naturally all those people were wrong.

Once she had hit marrying age, she had begun to realize how much she had grown in just the short period of 8 years. She wasn't scrawny anymore and now had curves that complimented her petite body type. Her hair was held back in its usual bun but it just looked much more professional now, not a strand out of place. Her robes were now those that the women Acolyte's wore instead of the training outfits that she had once had to wear when she had moved to the Island. That street rat of a kid had turned into a rebellious teenager and then into a beautiful young lady.

But with her newfound looks, she also gained dozens of insecurities. She felt as if her bangs weren't ever even and in return people gave her strange looks because of it, and she felt as though she was gaining too much weight and not enough height. Her pale skin refused to tan no matter how much time she spent sitting in the sunlight in the mediation pavillion and her social skills she had obtained while living on the Island were slowly deteriorating as she became more aware of the things she said. She had trouble talking to anyone but one person.

But most importantly, she was uncomfortable with the fact she was in love with her older Sifu.

She hadn't been in the beginning. When him and Avatar Aang had approached her that night, she was a little curious of him, yet she in no way felt attracted to him. She was an 8 year old girl and he was well into his twenties. As a teenager, she had seen him as an annoying presence most of the time, though she valued his insight when it came to matters of the mind and heart. He had helped her adjust to her life on the island, teaching her the ways of the Air Nomads and helping her forget the past she so desperately wanted to leave behind.

Since she had become a young lady, and had finished her studies, that Sifu of her's had actually become a close friend. He would stop by the kitchen every once and awhile, sharing with her facts taken right from the book he had been reading and she would retaliate with a fact off the top of her head that she had obtained from years of countless lessons. He would look shocked that she had undoubtfully outsmarted him, but then he would rub that beard of his and walk off muttering about how she always had to match his wit. She would laugh at how different her serious Sifu had become.

On some nights, she would take walks through the grounds, setting fruit out for the lemurs as they bounced from tree to tree, chattering loudly in thanks as they ate the delicate moon peaches she had left for them.

One night she realized she was not alone. Tenzin sat with his legs crossed in the soft lantern light of the meditation pavillion, his eyes closed yet his face looked distraught.

"Something bothering you?"

Tenzin was pulled from the darkness of meditation as he met the soft gaze of the girl standing beside him, hands on her hips as she gave him a questioningly stern look.

"Sh, I'm trying to meditate."

Pema scoffed, her lips twitching slightly as he repeated the same words she had spoken years ago. She sat herself on the cool wood beside him and crossed her legs as well.

"You're doing a very poor job of it," Her voice was nonchalant, though she was curious as to what was bothering her usually calm and collected friend, "I could spot that pout all the way from the city."

He raised a brow, looking at her defiantly, "I do not pout."

She gave him a challenging look, "Oh yeah? You're doing it now."

Tenzin sighed as he realized she was right. The girl had grown so much in the past few years, and despite how different they really were, they had become close friends. There was an age difference, but despite Pema's rebellious streak, the streets had given her an air of maturity that intrigued him.

"Lin's being difficult," He finally sighed out his confession, his clear eyes casting downwards as one of his hands uncharacteristically played nervously with the end of one of his sashes.

Pema knew who Lin was. She had been Tenzin's long time girlfriend. Even when the young girl was 8, the Police Chief was visiting her Sifu, their relationship spanning the period of ten years. When she saw them together that first time, she had thought that a wedding would soon be in the future. They looked so in love.

Over the years, as Pema got to know Tenzin better, she could see that Lin actually brought out the worst in him. Though he was a serious man, Tenzin could laugh, but whenever he was with Lin his lips stayed in a firm line, his gaze troubled as she complained to him about how he needed to stop putting so much pressure on her. He constantly brought up marriage and family with the woman, but in reply she would always brush it off or start a fight over it

Whenever Pema had a chance to talk to Tenzin, whether it be at dinner or after meditation, she would always try her best to make him laugh. Whenever she tried to be funny though, she became increasingly awkward. Tenzin found it endearing and also chuckled at her attempted jokes, telling her that her humor reminded him of Fire Lord Zuko's.

The young woman could see it in the way his eyes looked nervously at his hands, that he needed a good laugh more than anything right now.

"Hey," She murmured looking at him, causing him to meet her gaze, "I have an idea."

Tenzin gave her a dubious glance, recognizing that mischevious look in her eyes that his brother and sister had frequently had as children, "Why do I have a feeling this idea could get us arrested?"

Pema giggled lightly, standing from her sitting position and extending a hand towards him, "It's not going to get you arrested. It's just a little bit of fun that you seem to be in need of."

Tenzin hesitated a moment before grasping her tiny fingers within his own, allowing her to help him to his feet. He began to dust off his robes, but was soon pulled from the pavillion by a very energetic young woman.

They walked around to where the Acolyte bunks were, one side was for males and the other for females. The windows lining the walls were all open as most of the people studying the Air Nomad history craved for a closeness with that specific element, allowing the salty breeze to blow through the inside of their rooms.

"Pema," Tenzin whispered lightly, gazing at the petite woman beside him as her face became pensive, "What are we doing?"

She smiled slowly, leaning up a bit on her tip toes so that she could whisper in his ear, "We're going to spice things up a bit."

Tenzin's face became worried, his eyes glancing back at his housing unit where his parents surely were, "You're sure we aren't going to get in trouble?"

Pema pursed her lips at this, hands on her hips, "Your father is the Avatar and head of this island, I don't think you could truly get into that much trouble. Anyway, your father came and did this with me once when I first came to the island."

"What are we doing exactly?"

Pema's smile grew wide as she remembered Avatar Aang airbending through this exact same outside corridor years ago, "You are going to blow the windows shut and scare the monkey feathers off the Acolytes."

His face soon became disbelieving, "And what are you going to do while I do this?"

Pema shrugged, face the mask of innocence, "Watch and hide."

"Hide?"

She gave him an exasperated expression, "Tenzin, of course you have to hide. People will open their windows back up and look outside, but when they see no one, it'll freak them out."

"I can see my father doing this."

Pema nodded, "He was the one who came up with it in the first place. You need a good laugh, Tenzin. If you get in trouble, just tell your father that he did the same and that you shouldn't be punished. For once in your life, Sifu Serious, just have some fun."

Tenzin took in a deep breath, fighting the urge to hit his hand against his bald head. He knew Pema was right, but still he just wasn't one for tricks. But,  
he could see the hopeful look in her eyes, and he just couldn't be the one to kill it.

"Alright, just tell me what to do."

Pema jumped up and down excitedly for a moment before sobbering, "Ok, young pupil," She was mocking him, "You will be demonstrating the ways of the leaf as it flows through the breeze. Your job is to close the window pane of an Acolyte's room using your airbending skills. After you do so, your job is to propel yourself and myself for that matter to the roof where no one can see us. Do you understand, young pupil?" Her bright eyes were teasing him, "I don't like to repeat myself."

Tenzin rolled his eyes, a heavy sigh realeasing from between his lips, "I understand."

She nodded encouragingly, gesturing for him to follow her towards on of the windows lining the female dormitory. She peeked inside to find a familiar Acolyte sitting on her bed and reading with the aid of the moonlight. Pema ducked back down and gestured to Tenzin that this was the perfect first victim.

The man dragged his feet over to where she stood and shook his head while whispering, "I can't believe I agreed to this."

"Just do it, Sifu Serious. We have all night but I would like to be asleep by dawn if you don't mind."

Sighing again, he nodded for her to get behind his back so that she wasn't blasted with wind. A pout was on his features as once again the feeling of unwanted mischeviousness snuck up on him, but he was already to far in to back out.

Flicking his wrist, he delivered a strong gust of wind, effectively slamming the window so loud that the woman inside let out a shriek of surprise. Tenzin grabbed Pema around the waist and propelled them onto the roof, where they sat and listened to the woman open the window quickly looking around and muttering fearfully under her breath.

Tenzin was laughing quietly as well as Pema as the woman continued to mumble on, closing her window in fright instead of leaving it open as she had before.

"Pema, that was terrible."

"But you're laughing."

She had a point. Even though he felt horrible for causing the woman to shriek and for possibly giving her nightmares, he couldn't hold back the bright grin that appeared on his face as he watched Pema giggle into her hand.

"Come on, let's try this again. This time, be the leaf. Slam the window much with more force."

They continued for hours, having woken several Acolytes from peacful slumbers and causing them to fall off their beds in fear. They even added creepy voices for effects by the end of the night, and some of the people they had scared claimed they were going to have to go find Avatar Aang. But that would mean having to leave their room and entering the night where the mysterious voices were. None of them even attempted to go find the Avatar that night.

The rising sun was the only thing that stopped them, the pink glow on the horizon signalling that morning meditation would begin soon.

Pema shook her head in disbelief, "So much for getting to bed by dawn. Looks like we pulled an all nighter."

Tenzin looked at the horizon in shock, "I can't believe it. How did we lose track of the time?"

The young woman sitting on the rooftop beside him ran a hand through her hair, toying with the bun as she let her hair fall down on to her shoulders, allowing the morning light to reveal it's several different shades of caramel and gold, "It doesn't matter. You had fun, right?"

Tenzin looked at the beautiful girl sitting next to him, her bright green eyes gazing hopefully up into his. It struck him that due to the mischief she had made him commit to, he hadn't even thought of Lin and their fight all night. He had been having too much of a good time with the striking young woman beside him.

"It was fun. I disapprove of these kind of pranks though, we probably scarred about half of the people we scared."

Pema rolled her eyes, head shaking disapprovingly, "Oh please, Tenzin."

"I'm being serious!"

The young Acolyte giggled, "Trust me, I know," She suddenly looked at him troubled for a moment, "I forgot to even ask what you and Lin were fighting about. I feel like a horrible friend."

Tenzin shook his head, putting his hands behind him so he could lean back slightly, the breeze blowing his robes gently, "It doesn't even matter anymore."

Truth be known, Pema had made him forget what the fight had even been about.

They both recognized the feeling within themselves as they gazed at each other. Tenzin hadn't felt this way in a long time, and Pema had never felt this kind of love ever before. They brought out the best in the other.

But neither voiced their feelings, the age gap between them becoming the troubling factor in the equation. Words were swallowed by the gap and they continued on with their life, stealing glances and providing the company and easy companionship they had always had. But things were different now.

The day Pema confessed to Tenzin, it had bubbled up unexpectedly. She hadn't planned to tell him anything on that day, but perhaps that's why things ended up the way they did.

A silence hung over the island, the normally bright blue sky covered by wispy smoke colored clouds that seemed to know of the tradegy that had just taken place. The whole island looked grey as a early morning fog rolled through the air, the sound of a bell tolling slow and somberly still echoed through the air,  
cutting through the silence like a knife.

Avatar Aang had passed.

The man had made it his mission to become close to everyone who lived on his island, knowing them all by name and sharing multiple personal stories with them. He was so easy to talk to and everyone absolutely adored his company after they got over their initial fears of the powerful Avatar.

Pema specifically had been close to the aging man. He had offered her a home when she had none, he had offered to be her family when she had been abandoned, and he had offered to be her friend when no one else would be. His death struck her painfully just as her parent's had. She could feel the sadness creeping over the world as the news was sent out, and people mourned the death of the legendary hero.

Living on an island with both his wife and son, Pema could feel that the air here was thicker than it was anywhere else. She could still hear the sobs of a heart broken Katara as she cried over her husband's cold body. The image would surely haunt her nightmares for years to come.

She had seen the look in Tenzin's eyes, those usually bright eyes so full of wisdom and peace, and it shook her to her very core to see her friend's demeanor be overtaken by such a harsh reality. He was the last airbender now.

Being 19 years of age, Pema finally had a grasp of why the man had been so serious all those years. She finally could see why he had fought with Lin so passionately over the subject of marriage and a family. It was because he had no choice. Tenzin had a duty.

All the Acolytes had left the temple as Tenzin and Lin's voices rose in aggravation, Tenzin's loud voice echoing through the halls as he tried to get Lin to understand. They had drifted so far apart in the past years, both wanting different things. Lin wanted a career, and Tenzin needed a family.

But it wasn't that he just needed one, he wanted one. He wanted children who he could teach how to bend and he wanted to be a model fatherly figure just as his father had been.

Their yells escalated and Pema could hear them outside in the courtyard, the pained tone of Tenzin's voice causing her to seek refuge in the familiar pavillion.

She sat on the railing, allowing the gentle breeze to ruffle the locks of her hair as strands broke free from her bun. Her robes instead of offering their usual comfort made her feel as if she was being constricted as she remembered Avatar Aang's promise of warm robes and food and a home.

The tears welled in her eyes and finally she allowed the warm liquid to slide down her face, heart clenching as a small sob escaped her lips. Pema was not a wimp, she was a strong young woman, but even those with strength had their vulnerbilities in the face of tradegy.

She heard a door slam at the front of the temple, an angry Lin Bei Fong stomping down the drive. She was tall and slender and powerful, her dark hair highlighting her light green eyes dangerously. The woman was muttering angrily under her breath, frustrated tears rolling down her pale cheek and gracing the series of scars that lined her chin. She made her way to the dock where a ferry waited, demanding that the captain start the engine that instant and deliver her to the main land. Only when the boat left the dock did Pema see Lin start to sob, the woman being so close to Avatar Aang and so in love with his son as well. Though Pema could see through the cracks in the relationship after multiple talks with Tenzin. Lin loved him, but she loved her job more. That's how it always had been. They both had legacies to uphold.

"Pema?"

The young woman turned her head to the walkway leading up to the wooden pavillion, a man sixteen years her senior dragging his feet as he approached the steps at the base of the pavillion.

The young woman whiped a few of the stray tears away from her pale skin, knowing that the worst thing in this moment to do, was cry.

"Yes?"

Tenzin didn't speak for a moment, his shoes barely making a sound as he walked up the steps with a silent grace. He came to stand by her side,  
his elbows resting on the railing she sat upon, his eyes casting wearily to the bay.

"I miss him."

Pema nodded gravely, "I know you do."

Tenzin shook his head in frustration as he watched the waves continue to roll, completely untouched by the tragedy, "I never thought it would be so soon. My father was so full of life even on his deathbed. How could such a good man, just have all that life taken from his grasp? I used to get so frustrated with his childish demeanor, but now I feel as if that's what I miss the most."

The young woman nodded, understanding the pain he was going through, "When my parents died, I felt the same way. I would miss things like them scolding me about rough housing with the neighbor's kids or the stern lectures I always got for having such a bad attitude. I think the reason I miss that is because I didn't take the time to appreciate it when they were alive."

Tenzin had unshed tears in his eyes, Pema could tell he wanted so bad to allow them to flow. She could still see the frustration on his face from the fight he had with Lin not much earlier.

"Tenzin, it's ok to cry, you know?

He looked up at her then, his slouched body straightening as she opened her arms and allowed him to tuck his head on her shoulder. His arms circling around her in a warm hug reminiscent of the one they had shared when she had been the one crying years ago in the same pavillion. But this hug wasn't awkward or unsure, this hug was familiar and right.

He silently cried on her shoulder for awhile, careful not to knock her over backwards off the railing. He told her stories of his childhood when Kya and Bumi had still been around and pulling pranks on just about everyone on the island. He told her how his father was always somehow mixed in as well, his children always coming before his duties as the Avatar. He had tea parties with Kya when she was little, played with fake swords with Bumi, and taught Tenzin how to ride an air scooter. He had been the model father. Tenzin spoke of how all he wanted in life was to continue that legacy for his father and become an admirable father as well.

"Lin and I just broke up."

Pema's brows furrowed deeply, her hand gently raising his chin so that she could meet his eyes, her skin tickled by his beard, "What?"

Tenzin nodded solemnly, fixing his robes and standing tall in front of the young woman, regaining his composure, "We just have different goals in life, and I just can't deal with fighting with her anymore over it. She is the Chief of Police and I completely understand why she doesn't want a family. But I want one. We were always so different, and for awhile I had hoped we could make it work, but I was being foolish."

"Does she still love you?"

Tenzin realeased a deep sigh, his eyes glancing to the city in the distance, avoiding the statue of his father in the middle of Yue Bay, "Yes. But I had to end it. My father's death has just proven to me how important love is. I can't keep pinning away for someone who refuses to give me what I need, and I can't be with someone who I ever felt like I was holding back. I don't want her to give up her job. She begged and pleaded with me to reconsider, but my mind is in such a fog right now and I honestly have no idea what to do."

Pema watched his eyes slide downcast to his hands now gliding across the wooden rail in deep thought, his mouth set in a grim line as he thought back to the fight that had taken place that morning, and the death. Pema sat still for a moment, watching as he moved with the grace only an airbender could manage, every action of his done with elegance. Even when he hunched his shoulders, he did so with grace.

The young woman couldn't deny it anymore. Watching the man beside her deal with so much pain, was causing her pain. Every time she saw that frown, it nearly ripped her heart out and she would do anything to have that happy go lucky Tenzin she had known briefly on that night of mischief so many years ago now. She wanted to make him laugh. She wanted to give him what he needed. She wanted a family. She wanted to love him with all her heart for the rest of her life.

Age was just a number, and maybe if she had told herself that earlier, she wouldn't have waited so long to speak of her feelings, but she just couldn't hide them anymore.

With her head held high, heart pounding wildly, she whispered three words that nearly stopped the pounding of her heart all thogether, "I love you."

Tenzin tilted his head to the side in confusion, not sure that he had heard right. He was met by the defiant gaze of Pema as her green eyes looked directly into his.

He stood tall, looking at her in shock, "Pema?"

She held a hand up, gesturing for him to stop, "I meant what I said, but could you allow me a moment to explain myself?" Though still shocked, he nodded his head slowly for her to continue, "No, I did not fall in love with while you were my teacher. That first day you and your father found me, I barely registered you at all until you draped your robe over my shoulders to keep me warm. After that, you were a frusterating presence most of the time. You always belittled me when it came to my attitude and you always had to prove me wrong about something. You frustrated me to no end as a teenager, but that was all until you hugged me in an attempt of comfort when I told you about my meditation block. You were painfully awkward about it, but I was thankful for the effort."

She took a deep breath, smiling gently down at her feet as they swung back and forth, "I was 16 when I fell for you. I never thought it could happen. But we developed such a close friendship, and I could hold hour long conversations with you and never feel an awkward silence loom over our heads.  
I loved shocking you with my intelligence because you never had expected it. That night when we pulled those pranks on the Acolytes, I realized why you meant so much to me. It's because you made that defiant, rebellious girl into someone who could be selfless and focused on the needs of other's. For the longest time, I just wanted to make you laugh. Every time you had a fight with Lin, I wanted to be a reason for you to smile."

Pema looked up at him ruefully at this, a smile tugging on her lips, "You once told me that in order to gain my future, I have to forget my past. I did. Perhaps things didn't work out with Lin for a reason, Tenzin. Perhaps you really were hanging on to a lost hope. Perhaps their was a reason your father and you just happened to be at City Hall late on the night I decided to take refuge there. Tenzin, I'm young. I want to get married to a man that I love and raise a family. I want the rest of my life to be with you, Tenzin. I gladly gave up my past that night in the rain as a shivering 8 year old just so I could have a nice place to stay and food in my stomach, but I see now I gave up my life in the streets because I was always meant to be with you."

Tenzin had remained quiet the entire time, the words she spoke so full of conviction and love completely mesmerizing him. Never in their longtime relationship had Lin ever even come close to saying something like that.

He stood for a moment, watching as Pema's gentle gaze never drifted from his. A blush hadn't even appeared on her cheeks from her lengthy profession,  
her heart knowing that no matter his answer, it wouldn't change how she felt about him. She was usually so shy and awkward around people, but he had changed that. She was content with him.

He walked closer to her, his tattooed handing reaching for one of her soft ones, "Sixteen years is a big age gap."

"I don't care," And she didn't. She could care less if people frowned on their relationship. She was a perfectly capable young woman, and she was capable to make decisions for herself.

"People will talk."

Pema shrugged, her hand squeezing his, "They would anyways."

Tenzin sighed deeply, his gaze flickering down to their joined hands between them, his hand bringing her's to his lip and placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles, "Oh, dear sweet Pema."

Pema raised an eyebrow at him, though she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks from the gentle gesture, "I wasn't lying when I told you what I want, Tenzin. I don't have a duty anywhere else but here. But I want a family. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We have been friends for so long now, but I think over time things have changed. There's always been something more between us. I'm not that naive, rebellious child from the streets anymore. I'm a level headed mature young woman who would love nothing more than to cook dinner and have you come home grumbling about the men in the Council and how they never listen to you. That's what you need isn't it, Tenzin?"

His eyes became increasingly soft as he released her hand to gently caress her smooth cheek, whiping away a tear that had escaped from her eye without her realization, "I don't need that Pema. I want it."

He leaned down slowly, his face merely a few breaths away. He looked to her eyes to ask for permission but she just ignored it. Leaning forward on the railing, Pema allowed him to kiss her gently. One hand lay firmly on her face, the other snaking around her waist bringing them closer.

When the kiss ended, Tenzin laid his forehead against her's. He shook his head in a bit of disbelief, "My father was right all along."

She looked up at him curiously, green eyes gazing deeply into his, "What do you mean?"

Tenzin's smile brightened his whole face and despite the tragedies of the day, he could feel his heart soar with happiness as a chuckle bubbled to the surface,  
shocking Pema with the genuine happiness that she could hear in his tone.

"He always knew you were special."


End file.
